Can't imagine growing up in a home without a cat

Frisky was a member of our family since I was 5 years old (my brother and I named him after the canned cat food brand). He was a tolerant, friendly kitty. When we introduced another male cat to the house, the two of them occasionally had issues with "marking territory" and we had to use spray bottles, citrus scented covers, and motion sensors to keep them off the furniture.

However, Frisky behaved well on his own and was a very sweet cat, who loved company but was never overly needy. He was a smart cat as well. We let him roam around outdoors, and he liked to cross the street to the neighbor's yard and always listened for the cars that were coming. Unfortunately, one day a hybrid car turned the corner silently and took our sweet kitty from us far too early (he was only 9 years old).

Overall, I think a house without an American Shorthair cat must be a lonely place. Having Frisky around meant I was never alone as a kid. I always had someone to play with. He taught me and my brother about responsibility and caring for other living creatures. We all miss him dearly.

One extra note: Frisky was neutered very young (not by us, by the pet store). Apparently this caused him to have a very high voice and become overweight. Talk to your veterinarian, but generally I think it is best to wait until a cat is closer to full-grown before neutering.